Gifts and what the?

I got an email last week from Kim from http://wwwkjmart.etsy.com/ . She makes these beautiful painted silk scarves and prints. She said I was the 100th person to heart her etsy shop and she was going to send me something. How sweet is that! So I received this envelope of hand painted papers. The colors are so beautiful and swirly delicious. How do you do that Kim? THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I have 70 something hearts on mine... hmmmm... I now want to do the same.

OK, I have a problem. I made myself this lunch bag. Do I eat my lunch at home? Yes. How often do I bag my lunch? A handful of times per year.








Do I have a huge show coming up? Yes. Have I made more than 2 new bags for the show? NO. Do I have a procrastination problem? Yes.











Does this Snoopy bag remind me of the Snoopy Lunch Box I had as a kid? Yes. Does it make me so happy that there are no words to describe? Definitely!

Butterfly and Doggie bags

Flutterby and Buster


Butterfly news: Flutterby (yes we named it) has been found and has been fluttering around the house. It has been too cold or too rainy and cold to let it outside. It does laps in the kitchen then lands and we eventually put it back on the flowers with a little smushy banana on it. I hope it eats smushy banana.





I started putting my garden to bed today. Almost as much work as spring time. The kids helped so we are about a third of the way done. Back ache but happy.





Front and snack pocket, requested long handle.

My daughter has been carrying the same lunch box to school for the last 2 1/2 years. I have repaired it a few times, but has been looking mangy, now the inside plastic is ripping and its probably made in China and lead filled.

Anywho, I was on one of my favorite blogs wisecraft and Blair (sorry, I just cant figure out the linky thing) had made a lunch and snack bag and it inspired me to make a new Doggie bag for my girl.

Back doggie butts

I used that Therm O Web iron on Vinyl for the inside.

Now I need a doggie bag for me. It's snoopy, I mean Joe Cool, and its partly done.

I have way more to blog about but I'm tired and Simpsons is starting.

Good night!

Butterfly

Before the concert last night, my son was running a low grade fever due to immunizations he received Wednesday night, but these concerts are mandatory and he said he felt well enough to play. So while we were getting set to go there was a Butterfly on our front porch, half frozen. So I picked it up, took it inside and sat it on a vase of Zinnias I picked from our garden.

The butterfly hadn't moved much all night and this morning my daughter thought it was dead. I explained how butterfly's don't live long and I'm sure it was thankful to have a warm house and a nice flower to sit on for its last place. Well the butterfly's leg moved when I tapped it, so I put a little sugar water on the flower, got my daughter on the bus. My son slept in, I made home made chicken soup using some veggies from the garden.





We mainly have just been hanging out, we played jenga, watched a movie, he won a bid on EBay. So I start to make Chicken and Dumplings for dinner and I cant find this Butterfly anywhere. Not in the flowers or on or around the table. You think we would have noticed a butterfly flitting around.

I know my story is a little anti-climatic. It's just a sick kid at home kind of day with a little twist.

cold

My children are both in Orchestra and have a concert tonight. So before school the boy who wont stop growing tells me that his orchestra clothes don't fit anymore. Yes!!, a last minute buy black pants & white shirt at whatever price they want to charge you. (note: sarcasm) He wears the same size a my hubbie now but my hubbie apparently loves color and doesn't own black slacks or a white dress shirt. So I rode over to Target with my mom who was going that-a-way and got a deal on the pants but they made up for it by ripping me off on the shirt. I am just glad I found them at the first store. I don't like conventional shopping.

So's I gets home and my house is COLD. 60 degrees inside. We have this weird thing about turning on the heat during medium cold days. Two years ago we made it till November 18th before turning on the heat. So I trudge out to the wood pile (leftover from last year) and discover my pup had pulled off the tarp that protects the wood from the rain in order to seek and destroy any mice that may have moved in. Wet wood, my favorite. (sarcasm again) Well I got a fire going and my house is now up to 64 degrees and I feel a tad bit better. 68 degrees Yay!

Ok, I taught myself how to knit through a book, then taught myself how to knit continental style due to my shoulder aching. I know how to knit but in no way shape or form consider myself a knitter. I know how to do the knit stitch and nothing more.

Here is a scarf i am working on. Pretty and funky.

So I have been fascinated with socks but have no desire to learn more knitting techniques. I found this pattern that says you can just do the garter stitch, narrow it at the toe and heel and stitch up the sides and you get an easy sock. Sounds good to me.

So after all the knitting while waiting in the car for various soccer practices and what not. I GET THIS! Who would ever wear this thing? Maybe some one with a square foot. So if you are some poor soul with square feet, I have a great pattern for you. I don't know if I can even finish up the sides of the second one because I cant seem to knit while having a giggle fit.

If anyone out there has an easy sock pattern that when you are done actually looks like a sock that would fit a human foot, could you please let me know about it. I love to knit but the tricky stuff gets intimidating.

It was fun while it lasted

Our Indian Summer up in little ol' Michigan is gone. 90 degrees Monday, 50 degrees Wednesday. I like fall but I love summer.

Summer you will be missed.

My mom and her sweet hubbie gave me these chairs today. I have been admiring them for years on visits to their house. Lucky me! The wood frame, the simple design and oh so comfy.

Does anyone know what type or style of chair this is? It says "home chair Ronda N.C." on the tag. I was thinking of putting them in my sons loft. (Hubbie carved a cool place out of un used attic space) Oh the video game marathons, I can see it now.

vintage

I just loaded on my etsy shop some of my vintage sheet bags or as I like to call them my bags of sheet. I was going to wait until after my big November show to load more items but I got a request to load my vintage sheet stuff. So's I did.

I do have to give props for my fashion model.

I found her hitch hiking on the side of the road one sunny day. Can you believe somebody kicked such an exquisite creature to the curb? She is an older model but still beautiful in spite of her age. I think her age ads to her beauty.

So I told her I'd be more than happy to give her a nice home just so long as she worked for me once and awhile. She doesn't eat much (models watch their figure and all) and she doesn't complain when we travel to shows. She's just happy to be admired. So far our partnership is working out well. I think we are both happy I was driving down the road that day.

Indian Summer

We are having quite an Indian Summer here in Michigan. The last few days have been hot, but nice to get good weather things done. I cleaned the coops yesterday. 3 1/2 garbage barrels of organic fertilizer for the garden! Thanks girls.

I used an old "free" entertainment center for the nesting boxes and shelves.

I picked up a bale of straw today at a local farmers road side stand.

Now my Monster truck needs cleaning.

Chip loves the new straw.

I went to the post office to mail a package from my first etsy sale (yay!) and they were closed. Dang you Christopher Columbus, dang you to heck! So I figured since I was out and about I better fill the tank. $110.25!! Curse you 42 gallon gas tank. This fill up should last until December though. So I then hit Value World.

My mom is always on the look out for these Cross Stitch Magazines and at .20 each, I thought I'd splurge. 2 more vintage sheets, the photo doesn't look as good as in person.

Also my treasure is this 100% wool blanket in BLUE! I cant wait to cut it up into projects inspired from this book. (disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer.)

Also my husband collects Incredible Hulk things. Preferably the old stuff.

I found this Hulk trick or treat bucket.

He is in charge of pulling the Halloween wagon this year with his tractor and the kids have to "Pay" the driver. So I figured he could collect his loot in his new bucket. Hint, he loves chocolate.

I also found 3 pairs of pants for the boy who wont stop growing, 2 cute pj pants for the girl and a shirt for me. Not bad for $32.

I also got some stuff from home.

Today's bounty from the girls.

Todays bounty from the garden.

Zucchini, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, Zinnias, Dill (to dry) and gobs of Basil. I still have tons of Basil in the garden. If you are within shouting distance and want some, come on over and get it. I am making Pesto for dinner tonight! I freeze pesto in muffin cups, then bag it and have "fresh" pesto all winter. A "fast food" winter meal. My family loves it and its easy to make with a food processor and its cheap if you make it yourself.

Life is good.